Outlook Kevin Kelly
Kevin Kelly's elite control and solidifying setup role make him a key holds target
After a difficult 2025 season where his ERA ballooned to 6.96, Kevin Kelly has bounced back in a major way for the second-place Rays, asserting himself as a vital late-inning weapon. Currently slotting in as a key setup option in Tampa Bay's bullpen, Kelly has benefited from a series of injuries to fellow relievers Edwin Uceta and Steven Wilson. This has cleared a path for consistent high-leverage opportunities, which was highlighted by a recent crucial save against the Red Sox. At 28 years old, Kelly is pitching with the confidence of a seasoned high-leverage arm.
The underlying numbers suggest Kelly's turnaround is highly sustainable. Across 27.0 innings of work this year, he has logged a sparkling 2.67 ERA and an elite 0.93 WHIP, which stands in stark contrast to our conservative season projection of a 3.89 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. The secret to his success has been pinpoint control, having walked only six batters all season. While he remains more of a groundball specialist than a pure bat-misser—averaging under a strikeout per inning—his ability to limit base runners keeps his ratios incredibly clean and protects his fantasy value.
For fantasy managers, Kelly is a highly valuable asset in leagues that reward holds, and he is a useful ratio stabilizer even in standard formats. While his lack of consistent save opportunities caps his absolute ceiling, his reliable volume and ability to protect ERA and WHIP make him a very safe floor play. He should be rostered and active in all deep and holds-leagues as he continues to play a prominent late-inning role for a winning club.
Updated 1 day ago
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Outlook Kenley Jansen
Kenley Jansen returns from injury but finds himself behind Kyle Finnegan in the Tigers bullpen hierarchy.
The veteran reliever recently returned to active duty after a rough Triple-A rehab appearance, pitching a clean inning over his last turn. However, with the fourth-place Tigers currently mired in a two-game losing streak, Jansen has surrendered the ninth inning to Kyle Finnegan. He currently slots into a middle-relief role, limiting his immediate fantasy ceiling.
While our season projection still expects Jansen to compile around 22 saves with a respectable 3.66 ERA, his path to high-leverage work has narrowed. His current 4.93 ERA and a dramatic spike in walk-off homers allowed earlier this year indicate that his elite days are behind him, making a full closer reclaim unlikely.
The Tigers play six games this week, visiting Houston before returning home to face the division-rival White Sox. Our models project Jansen for roughly 2.2 innings of work with less than one projected save, making him difficult to trust in active lineups. Sit him until his high-leverage opportunities improve.
Updated 1 day ago
